What is a mini pig?
Can I own a minipig?
How much land do I need?
Is there a difference between a sow and a boar?
Can I buy an un-desexed piglet and get it desexed later if I want to?
How old does a pig live?
At what age is a miniature pig fully grown?
When can I pick the piglet up?
How do I take the piglet home?
What should I feed my piglet?
Should I put a nose ring in?
Will they get along with other animals?

What is a mini pig?
Mini Pigs have been bred down from fully grown pigs The term mini can be misleading because they still can grow to a manageable weight of up to 70kg and need a little room to move. This is still small compared to an average pig, which will grow to 500kg. Mini pigs do not grow in height over 60 cm. My pigs grow to between 25 and 50kg and 42 to 50cm
They make wonderful pets, that unlike dogs dont bark,bite or shed hair

Can I own a minipig?
The first question that must be asked is “Am I allowed one where I live?” Please check with your local council before you go any further. Rules vary from region to region and you do not want to set your heart on a piggy and then find it is illegal for you.

How much land do I need?
This is highly variable and dependant on the quality of the soil, whether you plan to have it as a house pet or just a small farm animal, whether you are home with it a lot and so forth. I am happy to discuss this with each individual, but I do not believe a pig should be confined in a very small area. They get bored, will destroy the grass in their small pen and then having nothing to do except get fat!

Is there a difference between a sow and a boar?
The answer in my opinion is "no" – not if your piglet is desexed. Pigs are like dogs – they all have unique personalities and I have some cuddly males and females and somethat are much more stand-offish.

Can I buy an un-desexed piglet and get it desexed later if I want to?
The answer is “no” for a variety of reasons.
– Desexed pigs make better and safer pets. Sows come into season usually every 21 days for 2-3 days and become quite over boisterous. They also will try to get out to find a mate, or may pester other animals such as your family dog. A boar can get frustrated. Moreover the testosterone will make him grow bigger.
–I advise to buy a desexed pig from a MPPPA registered breeder for a consistently well-behaved family pet.
–As to getting it desexed later on: Only some vets feel comfortable de-sexing a piglet as the anaesthetic is very difficult and pigs can die on the table from a rapid fatal rise of temperature, therefore we use a vet highly experienced and competent in this field. The price of desexing also goes up with the size of the pig.

How old does a pig live?
The age range is similar to a dog.Usually around 13 to 15 years.

At what age is a miniature pig fully grown?
Pigs grow in height until two years old and then they fill out over the next 2 years to reach maximum muscle bulk at 4 years. A gilt can be classed as an adult at their first season as early as 6-8 months. And if you take this as a mature height this could be as little as 25cm. Beware of this as a pig of 8 months may double in size by 4 years old. Also when viewing parents- they can breed from 9 monthes old so you may view a parent who has not yet reached full height and size.
If you buy a piglet from a registered MPPPA breeder , you have the confidance of knowing the age of the parents as the breeding stock have to eb registered DNA tested and measured correctly.

When can I pick the piglet up?
I wean the piglets at 4 to 5 weeks old and they are usually big enough to be de-sexed at 5 weeks. I like to keep them for a few days after their little op to check that all is well.
I do not fly them until they are 8 weeks old.

How do I take the piglet home?
Be prepared before you take home your piglet. It is much less stressful for everyone if you are prepared. I send out information pamphlets to prospective buyers weeks in advance and am happiest when people ask me heaps of questions before piggy is due to go home.
–Make sure you take a water bowl and a bottle of water in the car.
–If you are by yourself take a travel crate. A cat carrier is ideal. In the crate I would lay newspaper and either an old towel or shredded paper. Don't leave them in a car.
–Take a holter and lead for them. Usually a small terrier size holter will fit t if adjusted to the smallest settings but I will advise the buyers in advance.
–Usually they will sit on your lap. Take an old towel to put on your knee in case little piggy has an accident!
–Put them in a small yard initially so they can get used to the sounds, smells and animals in their new environement. The laundry is also an excellent small and safe environment.

What should I feed my piglet?
I have a diet information pamphlet that I send to all prospective buyers. The diet and amount of food is a very important component in how big and fat your pig will grow and is too complex to discuss here.
–Basically they are primarily grass feeders.
–I feed my pigs twice a day on fruit and vegetables and a low protein grain mix. I supplement with grassy hay in winter.
–Do not feed your piggy dog and cat food, junk food, bread, commercial pig foods meat, onions, potatoes, or grass clippings after mowing. It is illegal to feed pigs meat or imported dairy products.

Should I put a nose ring in?
I personally don’t like nose rings as the pigs greatest pleasure is rummaging around in the soil and gaining nutrients form the soil. I note that my Pink noses naturally protect themselves from sunburn by coating their noses in wet mud.
I advise people to wait when they get their piglet as not all pigs dig a great deal except when the ground is very wet and they can be trained to dig in one spot. Avoid throwing grain on the ground in an area where you don’t want them to dig. If you have a notorious digger - wait until they are at least 6 months old before getting a ring in as the rings are too big for babes.

Will they get along with other animals?
Yes, Pigs will integrate with chooks, cats, horses etc and often end up sharing the kennel snuggled up to the dog. Beware the dog that is instinctively a biter. I had to put down a Belgian Shepherd who was brought up with the pigs, but mauled one of my piglets when I was away for no reason except for sport.